


Vigor and Verve

by ickzik



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Mortal, Ancient Greece, Eventual Romance, Family Drama, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, at some point zag becomes a damsel in distress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-15 01:47:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29305989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ickzik/pseuds/ickzik
Summary: For the last twenty-five years, no one on the island of Ithaca has died. How Thanatos did not notice was beyond him but after a harsh reprimanding from Lord Hades, the God of Death is tasked to investigate. Thanatos discovers that the cause of his issue may be centered around the adopted son of the island's governor: a strange young man by the name of Zagreus.
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 33
Kudos: 163





	1. a story will be told

Thanatos was prepared to begin chastising Hypnos for, once again, sleeping on the job when he was stopped by Lord Hades himself. The Lord of the Dead typically did not request to see the God of Death for anything besides performance reports (always near perfect) and assignment briefings. Both gods knew how to conduct an orderly workplace and needed not to interact much besides. 

Upon being called, Thanatos made sure to give Hypnos the impression that he would address him later. Hypnos pointed at himself in fiend innocence before gesturing to Lord Hades with his ink quill. 

“Yes, my lord?” Thanatos, ever dutiful, was quick to appear before Hades. He was expecting, perhaps, to report on the death tolls of the shore city that recently met Lord Poseidon's wrath. Typically, Thanatos deals only with peaceful death, but the numbers were so high that Hermes and the Styx alike needed assistance bringing the souls home. 

“What do you know of the island of Ithaca?” Hades’s voice boomed, not looking up from his parchment work. 

Very few things. It was a small island, as he knew, it was more land, beaches, and hills than it was citizens.

Not allowing Thanatos much time to form an answer, Lord Hades huffed. “Nothing, I assume, as you haven’t visited that island in the last twenty-five years.”

“Is this an issue?” Thanatos tore through his mind, there was no way he had forgotten to pick up souls. He could hear their strings being pulled taut consistently, like someone tugging on his ear. “I do not attend to each passing of a mortal.”

“I am not questioning your duty, Thanatos. I am questioning your loyalty.”

“My lord--”

Hades set down his quill, which made Thanatos’s already present anxiety pick up, and looked the God of Death in the eyes. “You do know the situation in Ithaca, yes? That yesterday marked the 90th birthday of the sixth resident. That, the population of 1,000 mortals, not one of them have entered this house for the last twenty-five years. Not one death of sickness or war or hunger or weather. Not even one unlucky infant. When was the last time you heard of a mortal living to the ripe age of sixty years old? And please, once again, tell me that you have heard of the situation in Ithaca.”

Thanatos was silent. He could not say he had heard of the somehow lively island. Mortals did not live long, that was abundantly clear with the wars of late and the everlasting winter that had fallen over the mainland. Those who made it to sixty had been wise to live quiet, often privileged, lives. Ninety years old was, well, many who made it that long were deemed Priests to be loved so much by the gods. 

“It is in your best interest that you did not know of this, Thanatos. I assume you will attend to this issue immediately?”

“Yes, my Lord.” Thanatos did not waste a moment before shifting to the small island. 

He loathed the surface. It was bright and the fragrances were overwhelming. Especially on Ithaca on this day, where there was a celebration seemingly in process. The smell of frying bread, the pouring of sweet wines, and the lyres and drums around the beachside. Invisible to the mortal eye, Thanatos hovered closer to the ruckus.  
After navigating through the crowds, merchants, and dancers, he found the center of the party. Inside the more luxurious home, high on the hill was who Thanatos could have assumed was the elder who was celebrating their 90th birthday. He could tell by the necklace of green jewels around his neck as well as the deep-set wrinkles on his face. 

However, it did not seem like this man was the center of attention at this point. No, instead it was a much younger man, donned in a muted red chiton, wearing a golden obol around his neck. 

“Thank you, good lord,” the elder said to the man. 

“Please, sir,” the man smiled brightly, almost embarrassed by the title. “I truly didn’t do anything of acclaim.”

“Nonsense, ever since the lady found you...well, we all knew it was a blessing from the gods. This, my vitality, is all proof of that. Everyone is coming from afar to live among us and share the blessing on our city."

The young man set his hand on the elder’s shoulder and handed him a goblet. “Well, I suppose all we can do is give cheers to your health and well as our new residents.” 

“That we will do, young Zagreus.”

Zagreus, the man, and those around him down their cups in cheer. Thanatos surveyed the scene, trying to see any tricks being played, having learned well from his run-in with Sisyphus. Zagreus turned to mingle with a great grin that dropped with when laid eyes (such strange eyes, one green, and one inhumane red, what was the cause of this?) on Thanatos’s location. 

Zagreus’s smile fell and he set down his goblet, a hand rushing to the hilt of a sword on his waist. 

Thanatos was gone before he could unsheathe it, still a moment late upon the surprise that this Zagreus could see him. 

Thanatos quickly shifted into the House of Hades after attending to a few mortal souls. He felt like he carried his duty more like Hermes, as he was more quick than gentle, but he had issues to attend to. 

In hopes to avoid sight by Lord Hades, Thanatos appeared close to his mother, the Goddess Nyx, outside the extra chamber, used as another storage space for parchment work. 

“My son, what troubles you?” Mother Nyx immediately picked up on his distress. 

“There is a mortal on the surface and it is rumored that his presence is giving the residents increased vitality. No one on that island has died for twenty-five years. I am distraught that I had not heard of this sooner. Did you know?”

Reading his mother’s face was near impossible, but he took notice of her moment of pause before speaking. “This is a concern, my son. I assume that the Lord Hades is not pleased with this.”

“No, he sent me directly to fix it. But the mortal, the man, he seemed to be able to see me while I was hiding amongst the shadows. He went by the name of Zagreus. Do you know of any mortal such as this? Or of a god that would bestow such a blessing?”

Nyx hummed. “I do not believe any god, Olympian or Chthonic, would threaten your domain as such, my child. Unless you have a feud that I am unaware of. The lifespan of a mortal is something precious to all, especially the mortal in question. Continue gathering information on this mortal, I will see to it that your daily task load is decreased.”

“I--are you sure I should be the one tasked with this issue? I have a lot of work to do already.”

“I understand you do not enjoy intermingling with mortals whose strings have not yet been cut. However, I believe this is a concern that you yourself must tend to. I urge you to approach this issue with an open mind. There is a possibility that this Zagreus, or whatever this force is, is not intentionally defying you.”  
Thanatos could not understand another circumstance besides. No one had the ability to alter the course of the Fates’ will, and they so rarely were generous these days. Still, Thanatos quietly thanked his mother and took a breath before appearing back on the surface. 

As usual, time hardly passed on the surface while Thanatos was in the Underworld. Still, upon his return to the building where he last left, the young man was ushering people out of the house, his sword in hand. 

Thanatos did not try to hide himself this time, for he had no reason to. He chose not to arrive with weapon in hand, nor with hood over head. A simple conversation was all he needed. Information that he could bring back to his Lord Hades then return back to normal duty. 

Still upon his arrival, several of the residents, including the one called Zagreus, brought out their weapons and pointed them at Thanatos.  
He scoffed. “Tsk. You would be wise to lower that steel, for it is worthless in this interaction.”

An older man, with thick facial hair wrapping around his chin and upper lip, stepped forward, attempting to shield Zagreus with his body. “What business do you have here? We are simply celebrating one of our residents.”

Thanatos peered down to the door, where the old man was looking over his shoulder, receiving help down the stairs. “I have heard. This is the reason that I am here, actually.”

“If you are here to steal our secrets, we have told countless visitors, gods alike, that we have no fountain of youth or whatever rumor you’ve heard. We are just living our day-to-day lives. There is nothing for you here,” the man held his guard. 

Zagreus rested a hand on the man’s shoulder in familiarity. He settled slightly but kept a keen eye on Thanatos as Zagreus put his weapon back in its sheath. The smile from earlier was brought back as Zagreus held his hands out. “We have no secrets, for all we know we are just lucky. It began when the Archon Acastus and his wife” he turned back, gesturing to the older man as well as a woman with black hair tied back in braids, holding a child in the corner “found me in a time of misery. I was left upon their doorstep. They took me in and, from there, we’ve seen good days. We do not know what has blessed us, but we try not to question whatever power has.”

Thanatos narrowed his eyes at Zagreus. There was something flickering inside the son of the Archon. For all purposes, Zagreus seemed mortal. Thanatos could tell that blood pumped through his veins and his heartbeat was as quick as any mortal attempting to keep a room full of people safe. Still, something...something flickered. Thanatos was frustrated that he couldn’t put his finger on it, he only heard the trail end of Zagreus’s pleading. 

“...we have nothing to offer anyone besides a place to stay among us. We’ve been extending our community for some time, building homes and establishing trade to provide more resources. It’s our hope that we can share our good luck with as many people as possible for as long as it'll last. There is no need for war, we freely offer our land to those in need. I, well, if you care over anyone with a lifespan, I’m sure we can find a place for them. As I do not believe you yourself need assistance in your health and wellness, due to being...whoever you are.”

Thanatos felt the urge to summon his scythe then and there, but instead, he gritted his teeth and said, “If I were you, I would be quick to remember my name. I am Thanatos, Death Incarnate.”

Everyone in the room gasped, more people attempted to shuffle out of the building as soon as possible. Archon Acastus grabbed Zagreus by the shoulder, attempting to pull him back towards him. 

Against better judgment, Zagreus did not step back in horror or fear. 

Instead, the young man smiled in curiosity and intrigue, an expression that made Thanatos drop his attempt at intimidation. Zagreus said, “Well then. Do you eat? Mother knows how to prepare a quail like no other. I was hoping you would stop by sometime. I feel as though we have much to discuss.”

Thanatos could do nothing but relax his guard. With Zagreus leading the way, Thanatos floated through the room of mortals, shocked still and watching the two head towards the dining hall to speak over food.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> find me on tumblr at @heyzagman


	2. it will come back

The celebration suddenly shrunk to a party of four. Archon Acastus directed the others in the hall to go outside to enjoy the festivities, urging them not to worry or spread rumors about those remaining inside. The lady sent the child she was holding outside with another and insisted she followed after the men to the dining area.

Both the Archon and the lady rounded up food that had been laid out for guests while Zagreus and Thanatos found seats at the rectangular table. For a magistrate, the leader of this small city, Archon Acastus’s home was well-decorated but not as large as was typically expected for government leaders. Of Thanatos’s travels to large cities as Athens and the like, those in charge did their part to make it known throughout the lands. Marbled, large, multi-pillared buildings with twisting hallways and lavish bed-chambers. Servants along each wall waited to attend to any need, elegant art and tapestries hid up in office spaces, only to be seen by those few who could afford it. Most of this was done at the expense of the citizens and their taxes. 

That seemed to be different for the Archon of Ithaca. While his home on top of the hill was very nice, it was not overstated. Thanatos could believe that many of the artifacts that hung along the walls and on the shelves were gifts, given to him out of kindness instead of necessity. 

This kindness was clear in the trio who hosted Thanatos. Zagreus sat at the table for only a moment, presumably to ensure that Thanatos sat down as well. Once the God of Death rested down in a cushioned chair (when was the last time he had sat?), the young man excused himself to assist his mother in bringing over plates and silverware. She smiled at him and whispered words Thanatos did not bother to pick up. Her short-lived smile was one of nerves. Zagreus placed a hand over hers, reassuringly. His smile never faltered. 

They brought over several dishes that Thanatos was familiar with, but had never bothered to partake in. Nerves began in the pit of his stomach at the idea of consuming mortal food. He wished to maintain his godly facade, but it had been a long time since he had eaten food that was not made by the House Chef in the underworld. He was not sure what to expect. He was more worried it would compare poorly, and he’d have to force a neutral expression through the dinner. 

Once the table was laid, Zagreus and Archon Acastus waited until the lady of the house began eating to begin cutting into their meal. Zagreus turned to Thanatos as he carved into his piece of quail, expectant. 

Thanatos was growing impatient. He was not there to watch these mortals speak casually over a dead bird. He said, “Should we begin our discussion? You seem to have been expecting me in some form.”

Zagreus chewed and nodded. “Yes, for a long while we’ve awaited some kind of recognition from the gods. You don’t stay lucky for this long without turning some heads.”

"Luck? Is that what you call this? Not often do many mortals who defy death describe themselves as 'lucky'.”

“Wait, what do you mean ‘defy’?” Zagreus’s demeanor shifted to defensive. “We aren’t defying anyone--”

The Archon raised his hand, a gentle silencing of his son. “What Zagreus means to convey is that, although it may seem so, we have not taken any deliberate action in order to maintain the lives of our residents. In truth, we have long sought out the cause of our longevity but have never found the cause. There are, yes, rumors that it originates around my son, but I fear that he has become the face. I am under the belief that it is the island itself.”

“What makes you say so?”

The Archon took hold of his chalice. “My wife, good lady Penelope, tells this story better than I. Dear, would you tell him of the year Zagreus was brought to us?”

Penelope nodded while Archon Acastus reached over and held her hand. She took a breath and began with “Well when Acastus and I arrived on Ithaca, it was more of a village than a town. Mostly simple farmers, older people who were trying to find a calm place to spend what days they had left. We had seen many misfortunes. We had been run out of our home; we wanted to begin a family, but there were...complications. Very simply, we wanted some peace and quiet. 

‘After a few years on the island, we were building a small community. We had begun contributing as our wheat began taking root. But everything was wiped out in a winter that tore through the island. 

‘Many people left that winter, but Acastus and I stayed. There were many older people who needed help. Honestly, we had plans to move if the next winter hit as hard, but we didn’t want to leave them behind.”

Penelope squeezed her husband’s hand and looked fondly towards Zagreus, who was taking the time to eat his fill. “Everything changed that summer. The bloom was remarkable. It seemed like the island was not only coming back to life but was renewed. Plants grew that we never thought could bear fruit. During the season of the harvest, we had more than enough food for the winter. We had firewood, we were motivated to build better shelters. The winter hit once again, even harder than the year before. This time, however, we were prepared.’

' And when Spring came--I remember, on that first day when it seemed like the frost had gone for good, there was an infant in front of our door. No more than a week old, wrapped in a blanket and an obol around his neck,” Penelope said. “We searched for ages trying to find his birth mother, but no one on the island was pregnant nor did any ships come to shore that winter.’”

Thanatos found himself ripping apart the bread, pondering the tale. “And you never found who left him?”

“No,” Archon Acastus spoke up. “We prayed to many gods in hopes to give thanks, but none took responsibility for our good fortune. And, well by no offense, typically the god will make it abundantly clear when they bestow their blessing. Just to make sure they get credit.” 

Thanatos took no offense. If the gods were involved, he assumed they wouldn’t let nearly thirty years pass by without praise. Especially as Ithaca was now receiving attention from the other islands. 

Pondering the ingestion of the bird in front of him, Thanatos interlaced his fingers. “What attempts have you made to reverse this issue?”

Zagreus chuckled. “Well, we haven’t tried to outright kill someone, if that’s what you are asking. We have kept a close eye on our residents throughout the years. It’s strange because it is not like we are completely protected from hardship. Many people have gotten sick, had accidents while fishing or farming. Some of us have lost eyesight, limbs, whatever of the sort. The issue is that we don’t die. We believe those are our blessings. We do not die and our crops give out a wonderful harvest.”

“And you, Zagreus,” Penelope mentioned. 

“Ah, yes,” Zagreus did not make eye contact with Thanatos. He seemed to not revel in the title. 

Archon Acastus leaned back in his chair. “We are appreciative of these blessings. And we would like to keep Zagreus and the crop, but the ‘not dying’ cannot last.”

Thanatos picked at the bird, deciding not to eat it. It seemed unsettling to consume the flesh of one that walked around, even if soulless. Instead, he turned to the plate of grapes, inspecting one. “We are in agreement in that regard.”

The Archon shrugged. “I am unsurprised. We have enjoyed what we have been given, we truly have. But as the word is spreading, more people are coming to our island. We had little space, to begin with, but now we are needing to cut into our forest, utilize our farmland, to build more homes. Eventually, our resources will be unequal for our population. Not only that but if people believe they cannot die--well, it makes them reckless. We’ve had to limit wine consumption.”

Zagreus grimaced. “It gets messy.”

“This is to be expected as well,” Thanatos said. “There is a reason I am diligent to ensure I am not late to any of my assignments. I have not had a task on this island since I suppose, that harvest. Even now, I feel no call from anyone here.”

Thanatos carefully put the grape in his mouth. It surprised him with the sweetness. He cannot remember if he had ever had a grape before. If he did, it did not taste anything like this. Immediately after swallowing, he reached for another. 

Penelope smiled and the God of Death realized he hadn’t done a very good job of hiding his expression. “Good? The fruit that grows here is surprisingly sweeter than I’ve ever had. Wait until you try our pomegranates or if you’d like, our wine that grows from them.”

“We’ve bestowed offerings of it to Dionysus to see if he knew anything of our situation,” the Archon grinned. “Well, he wasn’t much help but he was a fan of the wine. That was the year of Zagreus’s coming of age, was it not?”

On cue, Zagreus slapped a hand to his face. “Father, please. This is not the time for that story.”

Inclined to agree, Thanatos rose to more than his feet as he regained his hover. “Thank you for the meal, but I wish not to overstay my welcome. I have learned much from this.”

“Have you any ideas of how to…” the Archon paused. “I hate to phrase it this way, but how to remove this part of our blessing?”

“Well, first we will need to know how bestowed this blessing and where it originates. If you are correct and it is the island itself, we may need to consult old sources. In the meantime, please try to maintain a low profile. I’d hate this news to spread to the entire peninsula.”

Thanatos took a step back, nodding at his hosts. As he began to summon his scythe, Zagreus rose quickly. His chair whined as it pushed back, with the word ‘wait’ tumbling off his tongue.

All attention drew on him. The pause implied that his action was done irrationally instead of urgently. He cleared his throat and formally put his hands behind his back. 

“Ah, will you be back? To check in on the situation?” Zagreus asked. 

It was surprising how little the man could disguise his tone. How obvious the hopefulness in his voice broke through whatever professional facade he had placed over it. Thanatos thought that lying was one of the most prominent talents of those who dwelled on the surface. Even in his occupation where he witnessed the last words of mortals. More often than not, final utterances to loved ones were lies. 

Thanatos did not lie when he replied. “Yes, I will return.”

Zagreus nodded with a smile and reached over, grabbing a small bowl and placing a stem of purple grapes in it. He walked over and handed the bowl to Thanatos. 

For whatever reason, Thanatos accepted it. Then, without allowing another gesture from the son of the Archon, he shifted back to the House. 

After gathering a round of souls and dropping them off at the House, Thanatos found himself in the lounge, attempting to ingest some food that he could hold in similar regard to the bowl of grapes he had consumed on the surface. 

Not long after multiple failed attempts, the Erinyes Megaera found him around the table. 

Whip clipped to her waist, she said: “Oh, what is this? Are you sulking?”

“Hello, Meg. How was your shift?”

She leaned over the table, elbows resting on the top. “Sisyphus isn’t fun anymore. He isn’t as cocky as he used to be. He has a nickname for the boulder.”

“He always seemed to have a pleasant disposition.” 

“Even when he trapped you?”

“He did apologize while he was doing it.”

“Tsch, you didn’t answer my question. Is it your new assignment? I’ve heard rumors about the island that is defying you.”

“Unfortunately, it seems they are not attempting to thwart me. In fact, while they refer to their livelihood as a blessing, they speak of it as though it shall develop into a curse.”

“That is unfortunate. So, what now? You have to help them find out how to lift whatever power is over them?”

“Seems as such. I’m not sure where to begin. They have reached out to the Olympians before, but none took credit for the situation. The family mentioned they received three blessings. A plentiful harvest, a baby that they took in as their son, and now no deaths on the island. Do you have any idea how those connect?”

“I’m not sure if I am the one to be asking, Than. If someone needs to be taught a lesson, call me in. Other than that, I don’t really like riddles.”

Thanatos ignored her, occupied in thinking out loud. “The son’s family, the governing family, said that they believed in the island itself. Do you think that, perhaps, Gaia could be involved?”

Megaera’s brow rose. “That’s a big suggestion, Than.”

“Yes, I know. It is also a big situation. It does make sense, doesn’t it? She’s described as the nourisher of plants and young children. That explains two of the blessings, the last one may be an example of her power. I understand this is a ridiculous question, but do you have any contact with your life-bringer?”

Eyes were rolled. “Just as much as I have with my father, Uranus, castrated and chopped into pieces to be scattered in the ocean.” 

“Sorry, I had to ask,” Thanatos said. “Although I do forget that you share a relation to Aphrodite.”

Megaera straightened up. “Don’t remind me. Not everyone has a close relationship with their life-giver as you do, Thanatos. You should ask her about this, she’s the only one that I can think of who'd know anything.”

“I did, but I feel as though she knows something she isn’t telling me. I don’t know how much help she will be in this.”

“That’s Nyx for you. I have to get back to work. Nice catching up with you, Thanatos.”

“Good luck with Sisyphus. Send him my best regards.”

Megaera laughed and took a moment to crack her whip, startling the shades lingering around the lounge. “I’ll put in an extra one for you, just like I always do.”

She left Thanatos in the lounge to ponder until he felt the tug of human death above and the need to report back to duty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello, people who are reading this! thank you for reading this!
> 
> I wish I could tell you that I will have a regular updating schedule but honestly, it will really be whenever I am struck with idea and motivation. So comments really do help! I may update every other day or every week! The world is a mess!
> 
> (also i am not a vegetarian but lol apparently than is here because i am the controller of this universe, i don't know okay)


	3. simple messages hold great power

After the God of Death left, the family of three was left to exhale deeply. Zagreus knew that neither of his parents had ever held a conversation with a god, much less hosted one for dinner. More specifically, one that was upset with them. 

He turned to his parents. “Are you two all right?”

Acastus took his wine down in gulps before responding. “Yes, son. Quite alright. I wish I could say that will be the last time I consult with a deity, but, well.”

Zagreus pushed his hair back. He did not sit, instead stared down at the floor. While his parents preferred to let the wind blow, would rather not think too hard about the fact that no one had died here in twenty-five years, Zagreus maintained a consistent wish to learn more. He understood that, due to him getting older and having more power to investigate, his curiosity was a part of the reason more people were taking notice of the situation. He’d become somewhat of a face of the island. Still, heavy winds often indicated the coming of a storm and Zagreus wanted them to be prepared when it hit. 

Since he was a child, his parents did not hide that he was not theirs biologically. Noting the difference of complexion, height, as well as Zagreus’s...stranger traits, it was not a shock. After all, Zagreus had been born with one green iris and one boarding upon red. His mother told him that she had thought his eye had burst and was bloodstained. For his first few years, she worried that he could not see out of it. 

That was not the only visual injury that was noted in Zagreus’s infancy. Most noticeably were his feet. They were scarred horribly as if they had been set on fire and left to burn for quite some time before they were put out. For much of his childhood, he had to work hard each time he walked to maintain balance. It took a while for him to gain control over his swollen limbs. Now, he wore thick leather shoes that helped him keep a steady footing. And, due to the vigilant exercise to seek normalcy, he had surpassed the odds and found himself as one of the most capable bodies on the island. 

His parents did take note of his advanced physical skills but, unfortunately, there were no trainers of any sort on their small island. He designated his strength to chop firewood and speed to rounding up goats. 

After all, the Archon of Ithaca himself was no warrior. He was a diplomat and a charitable man and he raised his son as such. As Zagreus grew into adulthood, he realized this meant a lot of parchment work. 

When his mother approached him, he looked up. It wasn’t unknown that many on the island were taller than him and this included his adopted mother. She said: “What are you thinking?”

“Do you think that god, Thanatos, will be able to help us?”

Penelope shrugged. “I believe he is willing to try. Which is the closest we’ve been to a chance to find the truth.”

“I know. I’m excited as well as scared. What if it is a curse and we have to leave the Ithaca? What if it gets lifted and, oh I don’t know, we all die instant deaths?”

“Do not make yourself anxious,” Penelope laid a hand on his shoulder. “The reality of the situation is that we could have left this island years ago, but we have dedicated ourselves to whatever is happening here. Your father and I are going to see this through. Of course, you do not--”

Zagreus took a step back. “Please do not tell me that this isn’t my problem because you know that isn’t true. As much as I hate to say it, whatever is happening here...when we find answers about the vitality, it will come with some answers that I’m looking for as well.”

“I know,” Penelope nodded. Zagreus felt the guilt find a home in his stomach whenever he mentioned that, yes, he needed to know who left him at their doorstep. Even if he had been a blessing from a god, he must have been born from someone who did not wish to keep him. He had his theories. The burning of his feet may have indicated an accident that perhaps his mother did not survive, and he was passed off to another family by someone who could not give him the care he needed. If he was part-god, maybe it was a Hephaestus-like situation and whatever deity, nymph, or whatever of the sort, did not find infant Zagreus visually pleasing and then gave him to mortals. 

He didn’t care what the situation was. He just had to know. 

The family then returned to the festivities, ensuring that the appearance of Death was, in actual, good news and not bad. Of course, they did not mention their worries about the situation. Nor did they show any signs that their goal was to lift a part of this blessing. All the residents needed to know was that Death was not there to harm or punish them. 

At least, not yet. 

While his guardians were experts at maintaining a facade, Zagreus wasn’t quite in the mood that night to uphold diplomacy and good cheer. He excused himself, lamenting that the wine was much too good much too fast and his dizziness forced him to retreat his bed-chambers for the night.

With the sound of boos and a surprising amount of peers who offered to walk him to his room, he found a way to leave alone. 

Zagreus’s room was in somewhat disarray but, truly, he preferred it that way. A flickering flame lit the candle on his desk and he began looking through some books. Stories of the gods that his parents bestowed on him. 

He had already created a list. It was made years ago when he began trying to comb through any text regarding the deities to learn who blessed their island. He’d crossed off most of the Olympians by the knowledge that they would’ve demanded credit and sacrifice for their gift.

Death, yes, had still been present on his list. It was one of the ideas that made sense, but he could not think of a reason why. In truth, he could not think of why any god would take a specific interest in the island. He knew that much of it was still unexplored. Perhaps there really was a fountain of youth, but that didn’t explain where he came from. Unless he had been pulled out of a well. 

The absence of death, peaceful or otherwise, would make sense to be tied to the god of the domain. Thanatos. Zagreus had often thought of the day where that specific god would take note of their situation. In many of the daydream scenarios, Death Incarnate would gently sweep over the island, head lifted high and demanding thanks for his purposeful avoidance. Announcing loudly the reason he had given the island a reprieve. Maybe a past resident did something great or some other dramatic justification. He would explain everything and then, Ithaca would go back to being any regular island. 

That was not how it went. Instead, Zagreus had seen him out of the corner of his eye, hiding in the dark behind a pillar. When they made eye contact, when Zagreus locked into a stare with eyes of golden ichor, the god looked shocked. 

Of all the night’s events, that’s what Zagreus could not shake. The god seemed surprised by him, but had he not known what was happening on the island? He had said that they had been  _ defying  _ him. As if they had any control. 

The deity who joined them for dinner, Zagreus decided, was strange. He picked at his food with intrigue, as if seeing it for the first time. He spoke straightforwardly, but with a hitch in his tone. A soft hesitation. As if he was uncertain. As if he was in thought. Zagreus had wanted to ask him what he was thinking about.

Ah, perhaps Zagreus really had drunk a bit too much. Being in the audience of an immortal, of the embodiment of death no less, must have shaken him more than he thought. It must’ve. Especially since Zagreus had never known anyone to die, or seen death that wasn’t a hunt for food. 

He doubted the real thing was as intriguing as that man. 

Zagreus blew out his candle and resigned for the night. 

The next morning, Zagreus took part in the venturing group, making way through the forest, finding good lumber and land for more homes. 

Work was in plenty on the island as more and more people of wealth wanted residence. They would pay well for those who could build them a house to spend their days. Zagreus, of course, did not ask for money for his assistance in these tasks. 

After all, the deeper they went into the island, the more answers he could find. 

The island itself did not want to be explored. It was a mangling of vegetation, the roots of the trees hardly wanted to stay into the ground, causing blocks in their path. The morning turned afternoon as Zagreus and his group hacked their way through the forest.

“Let’s break here, then,” said the head venturer, a woman with two thick braids down her back. “The sun is cresting, it is going to get hot. Be sure to drink your water.”

The rest of the group were happy to listen to Asodena’s instructions. They found a log to sit upon, grunting at the low contents of their waterskins. Zagreus, ever restless, stays standing. He looks back to the ground they’ve covered, upset with the little progress. 

“Something on your mind, boy?” Asodena asked. 

Zagreus sighed. “I wish these trees were so tangled. At this time, we’ll never be able to clear enough room for the demands.”

“You are right,” she said honestly, inspecting the dullness of her ax. “We’d need an army to fight through this mess. We only have twelve of us. Have you thought about asking that father of yours to enlist more people to come out here?”

“He’s asked nearly everyone to act as guards on the docks. A lot of strangers are coming. He does not trust all of our newcomers yet.”

“And he shouldn’t. Half of these people think they are here for a party, instead of settling down. They think we all are invincible here.”

“They think it’s fake,” Zagreus said. “As if the no one has died is simply an interesting rumor that they need to see for themselves.”

Asodena leaned against a tree. “In truth, I thought it wasn’t true either when I first arrived. I came with my wife and son simply for a life away from the nonsense in the city. When I was told of the blessing, I scoffed. But, we’ve seen sickness and health. No death for the last ten years I’ve been here. After a while...it gets concerning. How it very simply is avoided.”

Zagreus nodded. “Can we keep moving?”

Asodena laughed. “Come on everyone then, the son of the Archon wants us to keep moving. Let’s not dally now.”

The group groaned and cursed as they rose to their feet. 

An hour later, the sun was high in the sky and the accident happened. 

In a sharp exhausted swing, one man was chopping tirelessly at a branch of the tree in his way. It was nothing that could be contributed to his fault, all of the trees and their limbs were intermingled together in a twisted canopy. He had no way of knowing that this branch was the support for a collection of heavy branches resting loose. When it was cut, however, he learned. 

The long branch snapped off and with it fell several other branches. Not only did some of these branches fall helplessly onto a pair of the venturers, but led one to fall over another twisted root on the ground, hitting his head roughly on the mangled forest floor. 

Zagreus and the others rushed over to toss aside the fallen debris and rescue their compatriots. He assisted the man who had hit his head, locating the hard stone that had cut through the skin of his forehead. He was unresponsive and limp in Zagreus’s arms. Alerting the head venturer, the group began carrying the unconscious man as well as the other injured party back to the city. 

Upon examination, it was announced that, if the man had not used his elbow to catch his fall, he may have had an extreme head injury from the force of his fall. He survived with only a rough head wound and a broken arm. 

But, of course he survived. 

That wasn’t ever a concern. 

However, for Zagreus...and he hated how the thought rushed to his mind...he thought that maybe this would be it. After the appearance of Death himself, perhaps their blessing had indeed been lifted. 

Of course, he couldn’t be sure either way. Perhaps the venturer was just lucky enough to only take a non-lethal injury. Nothing of the blessing. Just luck. 

Zagreus wasn’t sure when to expect Thanatos to return. He did say he would. Perhaps with more answers. What he did not expect was him to return so shortly and with a concerned expression. 

He was on his way back from ensuring that it was only non-life-threatening that was in need of care and that the men were both being attended to properly. His parents must’ve been out in the city. A short time before, his mother’s sister had come to Ithaca with her young son, Zagreus’s cousin. Very often, they helped watch the child. Zagreus didn’t mind having the house to himself during those times. 

He noticed that he was not alone crossing through the dining room on the way to his own chambers. The heavy presence of divinity hung in the room. It was difficult to explain. Strange as it was, it made the room feel bigger. Almost like the feeling of looking on in pride at a once-dirty room after it was thoroughly cleaned. A cool green glow seemed to rest in his peripheral.

The god was in the same attire as last Zagreus had seen him. He was hovering above the ground only a few inches. Tracing his gaze, he was looking down at the bowl in his hand. Zagreus recalled it as the bowl he had given the god the other night at dinner; it was now empty. 

Zagreus cleared his throat as he walked into the dining room. “If you are here for a refill, I’d be very happy to oblige. Though, for the power you possess, you don’t need to ask.” 

Thanatos tsked. “Just because I have power, it does not mean I should use it to be impolite. And I wanted to return the bowl. I-I have no need for it.”

An arm stretched out as Thanatos offered Zagreus the bowl. He couldn’t but smile as he accepted it from the strange god. “Thank you, lord Thanatos.”

“Just Thanatos is fine. Obviously, my godliness does not have much effect here.”

“Does that--does that bother you? You said earlier that we had  _ defied you _ , as if in the offense. I hope you don’t hold a grudge against us.”

Thanatos squinted his eyes. Zagreus would have feared that if the god hadn’t been offended before, he was now. Would have, that is, if the expression didn’t seem more of contemplation than of contempt. 

“More so, I am annoyed. I’ve been placed in charge of investigating this situation, which distracts me from my daily duties. My supervisor, my lord, is angrier with the issue than I am because it looks upon him poorly. It does as well, yes, put a dent in my fearsome reputation, but I believe I’ll be able to recover from it.”

Zagreus set the bowl down on the table then turned to lean against it, crossing his arms restfully, settling into the conversation. “You make the underworld sound like a workplace.”

“It is.”

“What, do you get rewards if you perform well? If you collect the most souls in a month?”

Thanatos scowled. “We do not get rewarded on the number of souls that come into the underworld at a given time, that’s ridiculous. Time does not work the same way in the House. There would be no way for us to keep track.”

“But you did not deny that there is a reward system? What’s the prize, then? How many times have you won? You seem very concerned with getting your job done.”

“It’s not so much a prize but recognition and--” Thanatos closed his mouth. His head tilted as if listening to something. After a moment passed, he said: “You seem very interested in the land of the dead for someone so seemingly distant from it.”

“I'm not so concerned with the going-on of the underworld; I am interested in you, though.” 

Zagreus took too long to realize the implication of his words. Thanatos didn’t, however, and he stared down at Zagreus until he spoke again. 

“I mean, I’ve--” Zagreus put his hands up in surrender to whatever smiting he would have in store for him now. “I’ve just never met a god before, you see, so I am just, uh, interested in the whole...concept. In respect, of course, for your immortality and, uh, unquestionable power. And all that.”

Zagreus thought he had broken or horrifically offended the god. When Thanatos finally did speak, he said: “I, well. I see. I came to tell you that I am making efforts to reach out to the mother goddess, Gaia. In regards to the issue.” 

“Wow,” Zagreus said. 

“Yes.”

“Do you need any help? Is there anything I can do to assist?”

Thanatos dropped eye contact, looking to the walls. “No, there isn’t. I think it’s best if I go now. Alone. I will report on my findings. Goodbye.”

“Wait, I can--” Zagreus began, although the God of Death was gone the moment the words grazed his teeth. Zagreus exhaled roughly. “I could’ve helped.”

Zagreus didn’t actually know if he would’ve been much help. His family already failed multiple attempts to speak to even the most minor gods. They believe they had been able to contact Dionysus, but that was a subtle exchange of wine. They offered a bottle to their altar and the next day, a different bottle was in place. It was...potent. Anyway, he wanted to have a role in this all, he felt an urge to see it through to the end and to be the one to resolve the issue.

Perhaps that was selfish of him. Instead of yearning to fight in great wars or takedown monsters or save cities, he wanted to help bring death back to Ithaca. 

What he certainly didn’t want to do was sit on his hands and allow someone else, even if that someone else was more qualified, to sort it all out. 

Luckily, the following days would keep Zagreus busy. 

Thanatos did not return until after the ship came in. It was the biggest of the one holding passengers. It was large and towering. Gold trim coated the masts. The symbol branded on the side of the wooden panels was circular and bright yellow: the sign of the goddess of wisdom. Two smaller boats came beside it with yellow flags bearing the same symbol. Everyone gathered as they arrived. Some more weathered residents grabbed their spears in case the new arrivals were not friendly. Archon Acastus motioned for those few to remain calm. After all, the last ship had let them all know that more people would be on their way. 

Zagreus just didn’t know that ‘more’ meant nearly a hundred. 

The governing family was there to greet the newcomers. An alarming number of people were injured or sick, old or pregnant. Many breathed in relief when they stepped off the boat and onto the wooden docks and rushed to reach Ithaca soil. They acted as though the air on the island rushed into their lungs differently. 

Zagreus helped get people to the community tents they put up so new residents could have a cot at least to sleep on while they organized land to give. Of course, he smiled and charmed during the exchanges but he knew that he shared the same crinkle in his brow as his father did every time someone coughed harshly or began to feel faint. 

They wouldn’t die here, yes, but that didn’t mean they would get better. Sickness could spread just as easily. The more people that came, the less bed they will be able to give. How long would it be until Ithaca became an island plagued with illness and sick people laying on the streets?

That was only Zagreus’s mind plaguing him with worse outcomes, the logical side that his father taught him to listen to, but not dwell on. It didn’t matter, he had to tell himself. This was good. They were doing good and because of that, whatever powers would take notice and they’d find a way to work together. 

After all, the people who came did so seeking a better life. In order for that to happen, they’d all have to contribute to the city. 

Many did already. They brought many items to help promote resources. They even were able to bring some livestock with them, some furniture, and extra quilts. It was a long day unloading the ship. By nightfall, everyone was exhausted and they gathered around the tent, passing out food to all who assisted. 

Zagreus was re-telling a tale of the slaughter of a great beast he heard once from a traveling performer when his mother found him. 

“Excuse me, I must interrupt. Zagreus, your father and I need you at home. Quickly.” 

Zagreus apologized to the crowd as his mother turned without waiting for his answer. She looked back to ensure he was following. She then took off in a jog. Zagreus easily caught up to her and surpassed her, rushing to the front doors. 

There was an orange glow in the chamber. He saw his father standing, fingers pressed against his lips. He had that same furrowed brow but now mixed with the expression of grief. 

Someone was talking fast. Zagreus came into the room with a hand on the hilt of his sword. When he turned to see who was speaking, he realized he was making a bad habit with his first impressions. 

“Oh good, he’s here. Now I don’t like repeating myself, really a waste of time, but for you, boss, I’ll make the exception.”

The god looked young, curly brown hair accented with floating orange feathers. He had a satchel across his chest. The bag was completely full. Large scrolls, letters, and ribbon-tied boxes threatened to spill out until Hermes adjusted it with a shrug of his shoulders. He held a yellow parchment up, cleared his throat, and said:

“This is a message to the island Ithaca from Athena, goddess of wisdom, patron saint of the city of Athens. It says: Y _ ou have insulted the reputation of my city, which in turn insults me. Expect consequences for your disrespect.  _ Short, but to the point. Sounds just like Sis.”

Zagreus looked to his father, who still was quiet in thought. Hermes, the god of messengers stuffed the letter in his bag and Zagreus took a step forward. 

“Wait, please, lord Hermes! What does she mean? We have done nothing to insult her.”

“I suppose she’s referring to all the people who’ve been leaving her city as of late. There was a nasty flood, lots of people got sick, heard that no one is dying here, and started moving on. Makes a city look bad, I guess, and who's left to pay all those taxes?”

Zagreus had to think quickly to find the most important part of the answer to keep on with. Talking to Hermes felt like he was buying seconds of time on the clock. The god of swiftness was tapping his foot, beginning to cross his arms. Zagreus knew he was pushing it with every extra word he used. 

He decided the best question to ask was: “You already knew no one was dying?”

Hermes’s teeth showed in a small smile. “Athena found out quite recently, just by rumors by the mortals--they’re always talking. I’m sure she doesn’t believe it, it’s quite hard to see what’s going around here, even I had a hard time finding a place to land myself. Of course, I already knew, so I had a bit of a lead.”

“You knew--?”

“Nice to see you, boss. Good luck with all of--well, good luck.”

For the second time, an uninvited god leaves a ground-shaking first impression on the family. This time they take a sharp inhale in the absence, filling lungs with anxious air. 


	4. someone of importance shall arrive by ship

To be brief and direct, Thanatos had made no progress in contacting Gaia. In fact, he spent far too long wasting time, insulting wood nymphs, and sulking by the balcony while reading mortal summoning techniques. He felt stupid by the time he returned to Ithaca. No one had even the inkling that the Mother Goddess was able to be contacted since the settling of Olympus. She was as well hidden as the Fates themselves, but at least Thanatos _ knew _ that his sisters had sparingly made contact with Mother Nyx. He could not find one being that had spoken to Gaia. Although many nymphs tried to tell him that yes, they had, but that they’d only tell for a price. When Thanatos mentioned that unlike gods, they would one day join his lord’s realm and that he’d hate to wait until then to get the answer, the nymphs scowled and ran off. 

Thanatos truly hated this assignment. 

He was leaning over the balcony ledge, staring down at a text he found at a temple to the Mother Goddess that listed certain stones, fruits, and flowers that they used to appeal to Gaia. He knew this was still time spent wasted, but what felt worse was his lack of a lead. If not Gaia, then who would be responsible for Ithaca?

He himself did not have any information on the progression of the issue, but the god of messengers appeared in front of Lord Hades’s desk and reminded him of the urgency of his task. 

Thanatos only listened, not willing to hover down the hall to properly eavesdrop. Instead, he stared down at the River Styx, who had the luxury not to be given additional duties. 

“Clear out, shades!” Lord Hades bellowed as the arrival of the Olympian God filled the chambers with a dull orange glow. “What is the news?

“Just giving an update, as you asked, boss. You may know that the King of Athens is expected to send a ship to Ithaca, on the good lady Athena’s command.”

Hades huffed. “Of course it would be a matter of time before our family got involved. I am surprised it has taken this long. From my impression, she is reasonable even when her pride is wounded.”

“Yeah, about that, she’s upset because apparently, Ithaca has insulted her because Athenians are moving in clusters to the island. Which, in my opinion, I think she should take it up with that massive flood from the behalf of Poseidon since that’s why everyone is getting so sick--”

“ _ Hermes, if you would get to the point, _ ” Lord Hades said. 

“Right, right, of course, boss, anyway, long story short, Athena has more or less teamed up with Ares to teach the little city a lesson.”

Lord Hades sighed. “That is unfortunate. However, it is not my issue to resolve--”

Before Lord Hades could finish his sentence, Thanatos shifted to appear in front of his desk. Hermes jumped at the sudden appearance of the god of Death. 

“I will see to it, my lord,” Thanatos immediately said. 

With an exhale and a scribble of his quill, Lord Hades did not lookup. “I imagine that you should make haste, who knows how long those mortals have until both the god of war and the goddess of battle sink that island to the bottom of the sea.”

Thanatos bowed and was gone within the second. 

He appeared beside the front door of the house of the Archon of Ithaca, enough to remain out of the sun without being too far into the home. As hoped, there was no one in the front chamber. For a moment, he had the time to release his frustration. 

He ran a hand over his face and reached up to grip his hair. Athena and Ares both must know about the curse--a blessing, whichever. They would not have joined forces simply because a small island was lessening Athena’s reputation. That may be the intention of pursuit for the goddess of Wisdom but not Ares, no. Thanatos knew Ares. He knew of the god’s grim desire for bloodshed of any sort. 

Ares must see this as a challenge. To see what damage and glory warriors could gain when stepping on a patch of land where death was impossible. To see if his might could reverse the blessing and create a slaughter of the island. 

Thanatos had to alert Zagreus and his family. 

The two men were in the dining hall, hunched over a map of the island. Archon Acastus was sitting with his hands against his forehead, eyes closed tightly, while Zagreus paced and spoke loudly with hands and mouth. 

“It is  _ impractical  _ for us not to prepare, Father!” Zagreus was shouting. “We should not waste time, we have to gather people who are willing to fight.”

Acastus rubbed his head. “We need to put our efforts into moving everyone as far inland as possible, Zagreus. And we need our strongest to assist in that effort.”

Zagreus groaned. He walked over to Acastus, kneeling down beside the table, nearly begging on a knee to the governor. “Father, please, you are retreating before the battle has even begun. This is  _ our land _ and we cannot let them scare us into living the rest of our days in the woods. You and Mother have worked too hard building this city up to let some Athenians take it over.”

“Zagreus. I do not intend to force our people to leave their homes forever. But we do not know the King’s intentions. Yes, they may be coming to colonize Ithaca for Athens. That would be wise for the expansion of the city. However, we are not just dealing with a king, we are dealing with a  _ god _ , Zagreus, and I feel as though  _ fighting fair  _ is not on our good Lady Athena’s mind.”

Thanatos cleared his throat and emerged from his place at the door. Archon Acastus rose to his feet immediately as a sign of respect. The young Zagreus takes one glance at the god and then continues pestering Acastus. 

“She is the goddess of strategy and wisdom. She probably has planned out every move we can take in this situation. We can’t assume we can outsmart her. We have to face this head-on!”

“Zagreus, please!” The Acastus did not yell but spoke in a disciplinary whisper. “We may speak of this later. Show respect to our guest.”

Zagreus curled his hands into fists at his side but turned and stood in respect and silence to the god before them. 

Many mortals have shown disrespect to Thanatos. It came with the territory. Often, mortals would lash out in emotional distress of being taken away. The run-in with Sisyphus was an incident he’d never forget, but in the end, Thanatos took each soul. And each time, the mortal portrayed a healthy fear of the god of Death. 

Not Zagreus, though. Thanatos had never been simply ignored like that. Brushed off. He had to find a way to swallow the sensation of it. 

“Pardon my interruption,” Thanatos said. “I see that you have heard of the Olympian’s interest in the island.”

Archon Acastus nodded. “Yes. Lord Hermes delivered us a message from Athena herself this afternoon. She stated that she had been offended that the people of Athens were leaving for Ithaca. Mentioned consequences, but did not elaborate. We are attempting to plan with the little information we were given.”

Yes, it would be like the Olympians to send vague threats. “I see. Well, I come with more information. It is not good news, though.”

“We’ll take anything,” Zagreus answered, dropping his stance and taking a step towards the god. 

“I was able to be present during Hermes’s visit to the Underworld as he updated Lord Hades since my lord cannot leave the House. Hermes said that, yes, the King of Athens may be sending a ship to Ithaca soon. I cannot tell you how many ships or the intentions, but I do know that Athena is not the only Olympian involved. Ares is also on her side.”

With that, the Archon Acastus sat back down at the table and stared blankly at the map. 

Zagreus remained standing and began pacing back and forth once more. With how he bounced with each step, Thanatos wasn’t sure if Zagreus could sit if he wanted to. 

“Well,” the Archon said. “You are correct, that is bad news.”

“Why is Ares involved?” Zagreus walked up to Thanatos. The god of Death could see the strain in his expression, trying hard not to let the emotion lace his voice. “He has no reason to take notice of this island.”

“My prediction…I believe he is interested in the island’s blessing. Since he himself is an avatar of death.” 

“What do you mean by that--do you think he is going to--?”

Acastus said, almost in a mumble, “Lord Thanatos. Do you believe that Lord Ares is going to test the curse for himself?”

Thanatos would give anything for Zagreus to have broken eye contact with him. He did not look back at his father and instead kept his eyes trained on Thanatos’s face. Keeping a still expression was difficult while Zagreus searched his expression, anticipating his next words. 

“I believe,” Thanatos could no longer take the intense stare of the young man and tore his eyes to look at a far-off piece of art. “I believe he may try.”

With that, Zagreus turned back onto Acastus. His hands roughly pounded on the table. “We  _ must  _ prepare! We cannot send our people into hiding and wait for them until they are slaughtered for sport!”

“They will not die, Zagreus,” Archon Acastus said calmly. Sadly. 

“Forget about the curse! If someone takes a sword to the head, they will die. There--there is no way someone can live through that.”

Quieter. “They will not die.”

Zagreus removed his hands and without another word, he left the chamber. He went up the staircase to a room on the second floor. Thanatos and Acastus watched him leave in silence. 

Once he was gone, Thanatos looked down at Acastus. The Archon sat, staring down at the map, his hand at his chin, thinking. 

With little formality, he said: “I imagine you have not succeeded in your attempt to lift the blessing? And that we should assume nothing has changed?”

Thanatos sighed. “Yes, I have not made the progress I was hoping to. I believe that the situation remains as it has been.”

Acastus nodded. He took a drink from his tankard and leaned back in his chair. The man resonated a calm but impatience. Like an old ticking clock. He said, “I imagine you are a part of this now in a way you had not wished to.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well, from what I know about these squabbles the gods have, that there are two sides. Always. Either you are on a side or you do not involve yourself at all, not to be a part of the story.”

Thanatos hummed. Curse this assignment. “I would have rather not gotten involved. However, it is my domain, so I had little choice in the matter.”

“Have you ever been involved in something like this before?”

“No.” By his nature, Thanatos had other important things to do than stick his hands in mortal business. He had no time to use his powers to influence, much less cause, wars. Unlike some other gods, he found no entertainment in it.

“Well, first time for everything,” Acastus said. “I do truly hope that you remain on our side.”

“I am--” Thanatos couldn’t bring himself to continue, to lie so clearly. Still, it was new. He had hardly admitted to himself that he would be going against Athena and Ares for the safety of this island. It was foolish. But it was true. 

Taking a quill to the map, Acastus said, “He is most likely sulking upstairs but he would appreciate it if you have any more details of what you know.”

Again, Thanatos began a stuttered sentence that he did not finish. Instead, he shifted the few feet until he found himself in the chamber of Zagreus. 

Back at the House, Thanatos did not have a bedroom as much as he had an office space. However, it had no door so the only beings that could enter were himself and those he took with him. In that way, he supposed he should have knocked before entering Zagreus’s chambers.

At Thanatos’s sudden appearance (as well as the dramatics of it, green glow, bell toll, and all), Zagreus jumped. He had been standing at a large chest near the wall, shifting through it. Out of it, he was pulling armor and metal weapons. There was a sword as well as a couple of daggers. Each was dull and rusty as if he had found them decaying in the forest. 

“Oh, my, uh,” Zagreus rose to his feet the same moment Thanatos raised his hand to deem the action unnecessary. “Can I help you?”

“Not quite. I wanted to--” Why had he come up here? “I wanted to do my best to convey that I will...that I am planning to help.”

The statement surprised Thanatos as well as Zagreus. “Oh,” he said. “That’s good then. Since now we have two gods against us. It’s nice to one at least have you on our side. Were you able to find anything with your Gaia lead?”

Thanatos tsked. “No. It seems like the Mother Goddess is unreachable. In that, I have my doubts that she was involved.”

“I see. Do you know of anyone else who would do this? Here, I can--” Zagreus moved across the room to a messy desk rich with parchment and journals. “I have a list that I’ve been gathering over the years.”

Thanatos hovered over the desk, looking at Zagreus’s work. It was messy and complicated. There were more doodles and scratched-out words than actual investigative material. Zagreus seemed embarrassed and shoved several papers out of the way until he found a list, written neatly and concisely. 

“Sorry, I’ve been a bit scrambled in my research of late,” Zagreus chuckled. “This is the one my father and I use more often.”

Thanatos took the paper. It was a list of deities, their domains, and probably reasons to help. Many have been marked with an ‘X’, himself included. 

“Well, you can remove Ares from that list, then,” Thanatos said. “Although I doubt he would’ve done anything of this sort in the first place.”

Zagreus took a quil and put a mark on Ares’s name. “You seem to know very well what he is like.”

Thanatos crossed his arms and scoffed. “I do, yes. With the exception of Hermes, he is the only Olympian who reaches out to the Chthonic realm. He sees himself and I as coworkers, although his methods differ greatly from mine.”

“Yes, I can imagine that’s true. I hope this does not come across as offensive, but you seem...less intense in your godhood. I’m not sure if that makes sense, but you seem someone who I can talk to without constant fear of smiting.”

Thanatos almost smiled. “It may just be my nature. I don’t really smite, I just listen and take whoever’s time it up. Really, the Fates do most of my job for me.”

“Well, I hope when it is my time, it is you that comes for me rather than Lord Ares.”

Thanatos looked over to the rusty weapons on the ground. “If that is so, you are not doing a very good job at avoiding that fate. Why do you wish to fight?”

Zagreus walked over to the weapons in dismay of their state. “I don’t think I want to fight. I’ve never been in a battle before, I don’t really know how I will fare. I just...I need to take action. This has quickly turned into something of danger and these people here deserve to be somewhere safe. I have to do what I can to help them.”

Thanatos knew that there were those few mortals that acted nobly in spite of their own well-being. Somehow, he had known Zagreus was one of them from the moment he had met him. 

He could’ve learned the traits from his father, but Thanatos had a feeling something at the core of Zagreus’s personality longed to produce such kindness. He wondered what part of him also longed for glory, as all men did. 

Zagreus picked up the sword. “My father said this belonged to his grandfather or some distant relative. I was never trained in it properly, but it felt right in my hand.” 

Thanatos hovered over to the sword. “In the House, our hallway is guarded by the great Achilles, if you’ve heard of him. We have not spoken much, but I remember him once telling me that he felt the same way when he did finally go into battle.”

“Wow,” Zagreus looked down at the sword that any great warrior would’ve adamantly refused to wield or else harm their pride. “But Achilles was the son of a goddess and fated to be the greatest of his generation.”

“How do you know that you are not?” Thanatos spoke without thinking.

Zagreus looked up and laughed. “Because I am twenty-five years old and have not done a great thing besides assisting my father keep papers in order. If I were a demi-god, I feel as though I would have shown some sort of power, right?”

Thanatos did not reply, instead, he was looking at his eyes. Was there something familiar to them? The green one was bright, while the other had a burst of red, like blood, where his iris rested. Perhaps he had seen someone else with a similar injury. 

In a quick movement, Zagreus reached out and grasped Thanatos’s wrist. The god did not think to pull back. He was too shocked, especially when Zagreus said: “I should show you my feet!”

Thanatos said: “What.”

“Oh, I mean--I guess I don’t have to show you but, uh, well, when my parents found me, my feet had been burnt. As if I had stepped in lava as a newborn. Well, that and the appearance of one of my eyes. Which you’ve noticed.”

“Oh. I have noticed, yes. Do you think that has something to do with your lineage?”

“It is all the clues I have. Something awful happened to me as a child and perhaps my mother, my birth mother, died from that. Is there...do you have any way to find souls in the Underworld? Maybe you can find a woman who died from a fire twenty-five years ago? Near this island?”

“I...I do have access to the administration chambers, but there are millions of souls down there. It may take time.” 

Zagreus let go of Thanatos’s arm and took a step back. He clasped his hands behind his back. As if he’d remembered he was speaking to a god. 

And yet, Thanatos wanted him to forget again. “I will see what I can do, Zagreus. Your parentage may be an important part of resolving the lack of death on the island, but first, we need to ensure Athena and Ares do not demolish the place.”

“You’re right.” 

“But I...I may have something for you.” Thanatos summoned his scythe. 

“...uh, Lord Thanatos, I really did not mean anything by…” Zagreus put his hands up.

Thanatos rolled his eyes and smiled. “Oh, please, calm down. I will return in a moment.”

In a flash, Thanatos was back at the House. He sighed in relief from the darker environment, the lack of fragrance in the air. It would only last a minute, but he would revel in the minute.

He went towards the warrior Achilles at his guardpost. The blond shade stood still although his eyes wandered around the chamber. A smile kindly rose on a tired face when Thanatos approached. 

“Lord Thanatos, how can I be of assistance?” 

“Good day, or night. I was wondering if you could help me with a specific request. It may be something that,” Thanatos lowered his voice. “That would stay between you and me.”

Achilles did not seem confused, instead amused as his lips twitched into a smile. Thanatos imagined it was because the guard of the House did not get much enrichment standing at his post. 

“Of course, lad. Say your piece.”

“Do you have a spare weapon? Something that is versatile? Possibly easy to wield?”

Now, Achilles displayed an expression of shock. He nodded vigorously. “Yes, yes. I do, actually. But I hadn’t before. I had heard a voice as of recent, in my head as if my own thoughts. It had told me that a weapon of power would be soon required. It had told me to tell you where it was.”

“What--when did this happen?” Thanatos asked. “Did you recognize the voice?”

“No, I didn’t. It was a woman’s voice, although. It came to me, well, time is hard to track here. But not too long ago, lad.”

“What is the weapon?” 

“That I do not know. I was only told to relay to you its location. It is supposed to be on the unkillable island. In the one spot where things die. I’m sorry, it came across as a riddle to me as well.” 

“No, thank you. This is...this is something. You said it was a woman’s voice?”

“Yes, a young woman, if I remember correctly. But I can’t exactly place the age. Although I imagine it a futile effort, if I assume she was immortal.”

Thanatos nodded and bowed in respect. “You have been a great help. I hope you are able to gain rest soon.”

Achilles laughed. “It’s not every day that a strange voice tells you a riddle in your mind. This was the most entertaining few hours, minutes, whichever, in a long time. I hope you are able to find what you are looking for.”

Thanatos did as well. A final nod towards the great warrior and Thanatos appeared back in Zagreus’s bed chambers. It seemed like only a moment had passed as Zagreus was still looking over the old chest. 

Without greeting, Thanatos relayed the message from Achilles. Zagreus looked around the room as if trying to find the answer. “A place with death? The only things that die on the island are the animals. I don’t think...I don’t think that it would be the fishing docks, since they are on the waters. Perhaps the butcher?”

“Your guess is as good as mine.”

“Well, let’s check. It’s a short walk down the hill into the square.”

Thanatos had been able to avoid the light of day since he began visiting the island. Most of his time had been spent in the Archon’s home. He grimaced at the thought. 

“I may be able to get us there quickly. You...you’ll need to take my hand.” 

Zagreus did not wait for Thanatos to offer his hand. The young man stepped forward and took hold of the god’s ungloved hand. The smile that he wore was one of excitement as if Thanatos was a new playmate for a game. 

Thanatos did not know if he had to fault himself or if informality was a part of the son of the Archon’s nature. Zagreus should have shuddered at the idea of putting hands on the god of Death. Every word should be followed with ‘my Lord’. Every conversation should end with a bow. Still, Zagreus kept walking the line of speaking to Thanatos as he should--with utmost respect--and the way he seemed to wish to--as a fellow man. 

Thanatos preferred to work alone. Even when Ares attempted to include himself in Thanatos’s duty, the god of war was met with a cold shoulder time and time again. 

Yet, Thanatos found himself with a similar excitement as Zagreus took his hand and they vanished together, off to solve the riddle and find the prize. 

If it wasn’t for the probability of an attempted massacre of the island and the heavyweight of choosing a losing side of a war, Thanatos may have said he was having fun. 


	5. a heart will fail

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is faux sponsored by the song The Secret of Life by Lord Huron

When they arrived at the butcher shop, Zagreus was laughing. He held tightly onto Thanatos’s hand as they landed. He swayed with dizziness. 

Zagreus had never teleported before and had no idea what to expect from being shunted from one location to the other in a matter of seconds. What a strange week it had been if it was ending like this. 

After quickly apologizing to the shopkeeper for his sudden, terrifying entrance with the god of Death in hand, he explained the situation. 

The shopkeeper looked around to his assistants and a young woman donning an apron spoke up. 

Her voice was laced in elation. “Yes! There was a crate that came in as well as some livestock from the ship from Athens. It was full of the strangest things and there were a few weapons in there as well.”

“Can we see it?” Zagreus followed the girl to the backroom and waved for Thanatos to follow. The god glided, feet slightly off the ground, behind him. 

The wooden crate was unassuming but the glint of the objects was not. There was a golden helmet, several assorted sorts of armor such as shin guards and metal gloves, and a variety of different daggers, some with sheaths and some without. The items ranged from recently cleaned to showcasing a burst of rust and wear. Zagreus only glanced at these items before he was drawn to a black blade. 

From what he knew of harvest equipment, this weapon would be called a Falx Blade. It was a form of a scythe, but shorter and without the protruding blade. Instead, it was a sword that had been bent slightly from hilt to tip to create a slight curve. On this specific falx, the hilt was nearly the length of the blade. The grip was as dark as the blade itself. Pitch blackness coated the weapon. When Zagreus picked it up, it felt like the night itself in his hand. 

Thanatos moved around and leaned over the weapon. Zagreus stared into the void of the blade. He didn’t see Thanatos’s expression when the god said: “That...that used to be mine.”

Zagreus turned the blade over in his hand. He longed to hold tight, but he offered it to Thanatos. “What do you mean?”

The god took the blade but held it with flat palms as if trying to discern its weight. “A long time ago, when I was a godling, I used this blade to practice taking souls. I have no idea how it could have ended up in Athens, much less in a wooden box.”

“It must be fate.” The darkness of the blade resting in Thanatos’s hands was something of an art. Zagreus could not explain why he felt so drawn to the blade, so entranced by it, except that maybe 

“It is meant to be wielded by you,” Thanatos presented the blade. 

Zagreus took the moment to look up to Thanatos, ensuring that he meant what he said. Thanatos did not look unsure although confused. 

The blade back in Zagreus’s hand, the new familiarity, the strange sense of  _ this is right,  _ washed over him once more. After nodding to the butcher and the apprentice, he asked Thanatos to follow him as he left. 

Thanatos grimaced. “I would rather spend as little time in the sun as possible. Where would you like to go?”

“Ah, I apologize. There is a field nearby for those who wish to practice combat training. I thought I could practice with the blade. I do not have much experience,” Zagreus smiled. “So I may embarrass myself.”

Thanatos smiled before looking away. “I have some work I need to do so I don’t get behind. You can go train or whichever and, if you’ll like, I can meet you there once night falls.”

“I’d like that, yes.”

“I’ll be going. Be sure to...take care of it.” 

“I will.” 

Thanatos began to pull out his own scythe and before he disappeared with a toll of a bell, he said: “I am glad it is with you.”

\--

Zagreus wanted to wait until he understood the blade better before he presented it to his parents. He told himself it wasn’t because he was worried about their reaction.

Zagreus then spent the rest of the day in the field, looking over his shoulder for any witnesses of his clumsy attacks against the scarecrow dummies set up in the range. 

As expected, he had his power and he had his speed, but he had no technique. He felt like a child playing with a wooden stick, kicking and swinging until he fell over his feet. 

If Ares really did show up with an army, he would be of little help to the cause. 

That was the reason for the effort, of course. The reason that he stayed out in the field, stabbing ruthlessly into scarecrows. The island was set to be invaded and he had to prepare for it. There was that restlessness inside of him that demanded that he do  _ something.  _

Even despite Archon Acastus’s insistence, Zagreus thought that if anyone was going to be able to kill someone on this island, to truly cause death, it would be the God of War. 

After knocking down a dummy, Zagreus was attempting to stand it back upright with difficulty. It didn’t help that the heavy limbs were dangling from being slashed and Zagreus had been the victim of a waterfall of straw dust that had rushed from the cut arm onto his face. Zagreus's height also was presenting an issue. 

A force from above grabbed the head of the scarecrow, lifting it out of Zagreus’s rashed hands. Luckily, Zagreus reacted quickly to the sudden assistance and didn’t fall on his face in front of Thanatos. 

The God of Death was hovering in the air, taking the scarecrow from Zagreus. He was smiling as he situated the dummy back in place. The setting sun was on the last lap of its run as the moon caught up, Artemis’s chariot finding a place in the dark blue sky. The final purple glow illuminated the yellow field grass. 

“If you find yourself bested by this straw man, I fear Ares’s men won’t have much fun fighting you,” Thanatos said and Zagreus decided to take it as a joke instead of an insult. 

Zagreus huffed. “That straw man you speak of is an infamous war criminal and known to fight dirty.” 

Upon Thanatos’s chuckle, Zagreus was convinced he was the funniest person in the world to make Death laugh. The smile remained on his face when Thanatos hovered down slightly to float gently near Zagreus. The god gestured to his own hair, covered by his cloak, and said: “You have, uh, something.”

Zagreus groaned and thanked before shaking the straw dust off his head, causing tiny yellow flecks to fly into the air. 

As he brushed off some of the specks that landed on his cloak, Thanatos said: “How is the blade?”

“The blade itself is remarkable. It feels, well, it is perfect in my hand. I fear I do not have the expertise to match it.”

“That may be true but it was made for an amateur fighter. I hate to talk poorly of myself, but I typically do not use many clever maneuvers when I fight. I do not have much need for evasion or defense in my work.”

Zagreus smiled. “Not too many people willing to fight Death?”

“Not physically, at least.”

Taking the blade in his hand, Zagreus sighed. “I have no idea when the ship is coming. I have no time to learn much of anything. And, as you’ve said, we are going against warriors of Ares. They are brutal and they know how to fight--how to kill. They were made for this.” 

Zagreus stopped himself before saying that he himself was not made for fighting. After all, he had no idea what he was made for. Who he was made by. 

There was a pause when Thanatos simply looked down on the blade. Almost long enough for Zagreus to begin talking again to fill the space. Right before that tipping point, Thanatos spoke without meeting Zagreus’s eyes. 

“I believe,” Thanatos said in a near whisper. “I believe I could help you in this.”

Zagreus gestured to the scarecrow. “I could use any help I can get, mate.”

Thanatos smiled for a moment at Zagreus’s comment because reverting back to his hesitancy. “I could...I could give you a boon.”

“A boon? You mean like a blessing?”

“I think I can,” Thanatos looked up and met Zagreus’s eyes, looking from the green iris over to the blood filled lens. “I’ve never done it before. Death does not...choose champions.” 

“Oh,” Zagreus took a moment before breaking out into a smile, although he tried to minimize it. “So like Paris and Apollo?”

“Yes, much like that. This is, however, quite direct. It will be...very obvious that I have chosen you. Especially since, agh, I have never done it before. The gods will take notice.”

“I mean,” Zagreus gripped the blade. “They already know that you are involved in this, don’t they?”

Thanatos sighed. “They do, yes. The Olympians love to fight amongst themselves, have squabbles where they split into teams and choose sides. They use the mortals as pawns, pieces on a playing field that is the Earth. That is...that is not what I want to do to you.” 

Zagreus stepped closer, holding the hilt of the blade against his chest. “I know that you won't, Thanatos. I understand that you want to be a part of this less than my father and I do. But, we are here. We’re all here. If you have anything that can help me.  I will accept whatever danger that comes from this. I have…” Zagreus exhaled deeply. “I have to do what I can to help my people. Even if it puts a target on my head.” 

“Spoken like a hero,” Thanatos smiled at Zagreus, but it was sad as if comforting a mourning mortal. “Archon Acastus won’t be pleased with you becoming more of a figurehead than you already are.”

“No, he won’t. But he, too, knows that it may come to this. I was brought here for a reason, I think. This might be it.”

Thanatos nodded. The night had fallen completely. Zagreus noted how light emerged from the god’s golden eyes, a soft glow that danced across his face as he looked around. 

“So, how does this work?” said Zagreus. 

Golden eyes closed as Thanatos focused. Zagreus watched. The god thought for a while and then motioned to press his hands flat on his chest. Slowly, he brought his hands out until he was holding a floating circle, a soft green glowing orb with a purple aura. He held it to Zagreus like an offering.

Thanatos said: “You just have to accept it.”

Zagreus did. 

With a rush of energy, Zagreus felt the glowing circle disperse into the air and into him. 

He wished he could say it was warm or comforting, but it wasn’t. It felt dry, as if he was having trouble swallowing a chunk of stale bread. Hhe inhaled quickly, a freezing salt feeling flowed through his veins. 

A cold hand was on the back of Zagreus’s neck. “Breathe, Zagreus. Are you alright?”

Zagreus exhaled. “Yes. Yes, I am alright. That was a...a lot.”

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t sure how much it would impact you. It may be my fault, as I’ve said, it is my first time.”

“Mine too,” Zagreus laughed. “Ah, anyway, what exactly did you do to me?”

“Oh, yes, I gave you a blessing. A part of my godly power.”

“And that means…?”

Thanatos removed his hand. He floated back away from Zagreus, hovering back ten or fifteen feet. “You seemed to be interested in how I travel. Hold on tightly to your blade. Imagine you are next to me.”

It didn’t seem worth it to ask questions, so Zagreus listened and obeyed instead. He stared directly at Thanatos and pictured himself beside the god. He squeezed his blade. 

Within a second, he was there, directly in front of the god. 

He could feel the coolness emitting from the godly body. Zagreus titled his head up and he could feel breath (when before he wasn’t sure if the god breathed) against his face. 

Thanatos, surprisingly, did not move away from their sudden proximity. He did stutter when he said: “And...uh, that is what it does.”

Perhaps Zagreus should’ve been concerned about being inches away from the face of Death Incarnate, but many could say his perspective of death was more relaxed than the average man. Zagreus instead smiled in giddiness and closed his eyes to imagine himself back to his original spot. 

After landing, Zagreus laughed and breathed deeply. The jump somehow was extremely tiring, but it sent his adrenaline spiking. 

Thanatos titled his head, worried but amused, “It worked.”

“Yes, mate, I see that it did,” Zagreus laughed. “I can definitely get used to traveling like that. I see why you do it all the time.”

“The blessing has limits. You will be able to travel a short distance and can only do so when you are holding the blade. If you do it too much, you may feel tired. But I believe in a fight, it will be helpful.”

Zagreus grinned. “Yes, of course. Thank you.” 

Zagreus, after a pause for thought, knelt down and pressed the point of the blade into the ground. He was near hidden in the tall yellow grass as he looked down at the soil, the wind blowing the grass quietly in the night air. With the stars hanging above, he said: “I do not believe I’ve shown you the reverence you deserve, lord Thanatos. I am honored to be chosen as your champion and will do my best to--”

Cold hands touched Zagreus’s on the hilt of the blade. He looked up to see Thanatos kneeling down in the grass in front of him, gold eyes wide. 

“Don’t do that,” Thanatos said in a soft hush, as if afraid to be caught. “I--I am Death. I do not receive prayers unless humans are dreading my arrival. I am only honored when I am feared.”

“I am not afraid of you,” Zagreus said. “But I will still worship you.”

There was a slight tightening on Thanatos’s hands on his own.The God of Death did not let go until he said, “I must go. I will return when the ship from Athens arrives,” and then vanishes, the pressure disappearing. 

Zagreus stood up. He looked at the scarecrow a few feet away. Its left arm was dangling from a thread. He held onto his blade tightly. 

In the midst of a slash, Zagreus appeared beside the dummy in perfect time to slice the limb off as it tumbled towards the ground. 

It did not take him so long to arrive home. 

\--

The next few days consisted of planning, gathering supplies as well as anyone who’d be willing to fight for the island. When they saw the ship incoming, Zagreus and Archon Acastus waited on the dock. 

Zagreus grew anxious, falx blade in hand, watching the ship arrive. There was no noticeable ruckus that he could note, but it was the largest ship that he had seen thus far from Athens. 

The several dozen soldiers were waiting behind them. Some were those from Athens who did not want to give up the life they were building on Ithaca. Others were Ithaca residents, sworn to protect the island that served them well. 

Besides Zagreus at the front of the docks was his father. While Zagreus had a hand on the blade, bouncing on his feet, Archon Acastus had his fingers interlaced behind him. He had a sheathed dagger at his waist. As usual, his father believed he could use diplomacy skills to resolve the conflict. 

Zagreus did not. His body, his lungs, his muscles, told him there would be a fight. He wished he did a better job of convincing his father to join his mother in sending the residents as far inland as possible. The man was as stubborn as he was. 

The only moment of relief was the familiar bell toll behind them. 

Somehow tearing his eyes from the incoming ship, Zagreus turned to the god. “Thank you for coming.”

Thanatos was floating gently behind them. His scythe was out and at the ready. “Stay sharp, Zagreus.”

Zagreus nodded and watched the ship coast further towards the island. Slowly, the three of them watched it approach the island. 

There was no surprise attack. 

There was no sudden influx of warriors of Ares, sending raining arrows down. 

Instead, there was a boy who first departed the ship. He was very obviously not fully grown, no older than fifteen years. In a royal style chiton and a stoic, nervous expression, he walked towards Archon Acastus. 

The boy held out a letter. “For you, my good lord.”

Slowly, Archon Acastus took the letter with a nod. Zagreus leaned over to read. It said:

_ To the governing party of the island of Ithaca, _

_ Firstly you must acknowledge that this action of mine is defying the gods. Do not take this note lightly. I am not.  _

_ After the request from Lady Athena and Lord Ares to take siege of your island, my wife, Queen Halina, grew very ill. Our healers unanimously informed me that she, and our child, would not survive childbirth. Perhaps this is a demand, but instead of an army, I have sent my wife on this ship and, gods willing, she is still alive to make it to your island.  _

_ I do plead, however, that you accept her and allow her on your soil. Help her through the final instances of her pregnancy. _

_ I may not survive the wrath of the gods but my child will live if born in Ithaca. This I am certain.  _

_ King Cyrus of Ithaca _

Before Zagreus could finish reading, Archon Acastus was gesturing to the boy that, yes, yes, yes, they could bring the Queen down. He turned around and called off the soldiers lying in wait. Acastus demanded that half of them go and find the best midwives and healers in Ithaca while the others helped usher the Queen. Archon Acastus sprinted into action, being the first one to take the hand of Queen Halina as she stepped onto the docks on Ithaca. 

Zagreus and Thanatos held onto the letter, reading and re-reading its contents. 

The son of the Archon looked up as a heavily pregnant woman slowly stepping off the boat and began making her way down the docks. As much as she struggled to walk, she was dressed in the finest of silks and wearing a heavy jeweled necklace as well as a laurel of gold. She held onto a hand of a soldier that helped her down. Her jewelry glistened as did the sweat on her neck and forehead. Still, she walked past Zagreus and Thanatos with her head high, her free hand on her stomach. 

They watched her in awe as Archon Acastus took hold of the situation, organizing a place for Queen Halina, calling on residents, speaking charismatically and kindly. 

Zagreus couldn’t believe it. Of course, his father was right. No one was going to die. 

He was so focused on the bustle of the arrival of the Queen that he hardly noticed Thanatos behind him as he said: 

“It’s not the earth.”

Zagreus looked up to Thanatos. “What did you say?”

Thanatos was looking down at the letter, shaking his head. “It’s not the island. I mean, I do not think the island itself is  _ doing  _ the blessing.”

“So it’s not Gaia, we assumed that. Do you have another idea?”

“Yes,” Thanatos said. “I think it’s the Fates.”

A green glow and a bell tolled around the dock as the god of Death left. 

That was fine. After all, Zagreus had to help a Queen settle into their small island. He pocketed the letter and got to work helping the Athenian soldiers unload Queen Halina’s supplies. 

Much later, Zagreus finally arrived at home. He was exhausted mentally and physically from the day’s work. Archon Acastus was still out, ensuring Queen Halina was adjusting well to the simplicity of the island. 

Of course, once he got home, the confusion wasn’t over. 

In fact, the presence of pink atmosphere was almost unsurprising. 

“Do you eat meat?” Zagreus heard his mother ask. 

“Oh yes, I take part in all worldly delights when I can,” said the voice of a stranger.

His mother laughed, a genuine laugh free from nerves, “That’s good. I do not know about how immortals see it but my life is too short to derive myself from any of the pleasures I can obtain.”

“Oh yes, dear, I know well of your love story. It is  _ so  _ refreshing to hear of mortals like you who fear not the limits of their bodies. Isn’t love better that way?”

“Ha! Well, when you say it like--” Zagreus’s mother stopped as she saw him standing at the door. “We may have to talk later about my  _ bodily limits,  _ Lady Aphrodite. My son has arrived.”

“Oh good!” The goddess cheered. She covered by nothing but her long, pink hair as Zagreus entered the dining hall. She was sitting at the table as Penelope prepared a meal. As Zagreus walked into the room, his mother put down an extra plate. She made eye contact with her son, a subtle plead for him to stay. 

He found himself a seat beside the goddess. She leaned over and rested her hand on her cheek. She stared intently at Zagreus with pursed lips. 

Flawless lips and teeth found their way into a grin. Zagreus was shocked by how  _ beautiful  _ the person in front of him was. She was enchanting in a way that forced Zagreus to stare at her. He couldn’t look away from her if he wanted to. He set his hands on his knees and leaned into the table, readily listening to whatever sounds the goddess would allow past those lips. 

“You have the smell of Death don’t you, little godling?”

Pouring wine into Aphrodite’s glass, Penelope said: “Death? Godling?”

“Yes, there is a sense of divinity from your dear son, although faint. As if hiding. More so, I believe he has developed a closeness with Thanatos, hmm?”

Zagreus answered: “Yes, he gave me a blessing.”

“Oh!” Aphrodite said. “I never knew lord Thanatos as the type to be generous, but personal growth often emerges from love. I did come to do something similar.”

Penelope held the pitcher close to her chest. “Are you...you mean to choose my son as a champion?”

Aphrodite did not take her eyes off of Zagreus when she answered. “Well, Lord Ares won’t be pleased that we are choosing separate sides this time, but after the act of true love from the King of Athens, how could I not? Defying the gods for the woman he loves? How romantic.”

The goddess did not explain herself further before putting out her hand. A small ball of glowing pink light appeared. 

Zagreus didn’t think long before reaching out and grasping it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The only historical note I have for this piece is that the Falx Blade is also referred to as the Dacian Blade. It has origins in Viking and Roman lore. Other than that, I made most of it up. 
> 
> I had a lot of fun thinking of what Thanatos's boons could be. Fingers crossed for a Hades the Game sequel where Than can bestow blessings. 
> 
> Also, thank you again for the comments. They keep me writing. If you want to talk about anything Hades-related, hit me up on Tumblr @heyzagman. School is slowing down for me so, hopefully, I will be able to chat more. If you want to talk about this fic, I will cry good tears. 
> 
> ALSO bigger news! I've decided that, yes, I am going to have a consistent updating schedule. I will be doing my best to post a new chapter every Monday.


End file.
